Grey Jays or Gray Jays aka Whiskey Jack

The Gray Jay, Perisoreus canadensis, is also known as the Camp Robber and the Whiskey Jack, in various spellings; the latter name originates from the Cree word wiiskachaan. At one time, it was known as the Canada Jay.

Description:

Adults are gray on the upperparts, with a white forehead, face and throat. They have a dark cap and a short thick dark bill. They are slightly smaller than a Blue Jay.

Range:

Their breeding habitat is forested areas containing conifers across Canada, Alaska, New England, New York, and coastal and montane parts of the western United States.

They are permanent residents; some may move from higher elevations in winter. A pair will defend their territory year round. These birds mate for life.

Breeding / Nesting:

They usually nest low in a dense conifer. The female lays 3 or 4 eggs. The female incubates the eggs and stays with the young birds at first while the male brings food to the nest. Later, both parents feed the young.

Feeding / Diet:

These birds are opportunistic feeders. They will capture live prey and also scavenge dead animals. They are bold about approaching people and will steal food from any campsite left unguarded. (Some have even been known to seize food from an inattentive human's hand.) They sometimes catch insects in flight. They are omnivorous, eating insects, berries, seeds, small rodents and bird eggs. They cache food throughout their territory in preparation for winter, using their sticky saliva to "glue" items to crevices in tree bark and other storage locations.

Status:

Recently published research suggests that these birds may be declining in the southern parts of their range because they rely on cooler temperatures during the autumn and winter to keep the cached food edible. This decline may be the result of global warming.

Call / Song:

Their call is a soft whistle. They produce a wide variety of noises, including harsh cries and chuckle-like sounds.

Copyright: Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from Wikipedia.org ... Additional information and photos added by Avianweb.

Please Note: The articles or images on this page are the sole property of the authors or photographers. Please contact them directly with respect to any copyright or licensing questions. Thank you.

Please note: Any content published on this site is commentary or opinion, and is protected under Free Speech. It is only provided for educational and entertainment purposes, and is in no way intended as a substitute for professional advice. Avianweb / BeautyOfBirds or any of their authors / publishers assume no responsibility for the use or misuse of any of the published material. Your use of this website indicates your agreement to these terms.